Independent Reviewing Officer

Wirral Council is a place where you can genuinely make a difference, guided by strong organisational values that shape everything we do. Our values, ambitious, professional, resident‑focused and accountable, act as our organisational DNA, influencing how we work, lead and support one another every day. We take pride in delivering great services, acting with integrity, building positive relationships, and always putting residents first, creating a supportive and inclusive culture where everyone can “be the best we can be”. With our beautiful surroundings, ambitious future plans, and a commitment to empowering staff to #BeTheDifference, Wirral Council offers an inspiring environment to grow your career and make a lasting impact.

About the Role:

We are seeking two experienced and confident Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO) / Child Protection Chair to join our dedicated team. In this pivotal role, you will independently chair Child Protection Conferences, Strategy Meetings, Looked After Children Reviews, and Secure Accommodation Reviews, ensuring all statutory responsibilities are met to the highest standard. You will play a key role in safeguarding children by overseeing and quality assuring child protection plans, ensuring risks are effectively managed and that best practice is consistently achieved. Working closely with multi-agency partners, you will build strong professional relationships, providing constructive challenge where appropriate to drive improved outcomes.

About the Candidate:

You will be an experienced social work professional with strong knowledge of children’s social care and child protection. Confident in decision-making and chairing meetings, you will be able to build effective multi-agency relationships and provide constructive challenge where needed. Most importantly, you will be committed to keeping the child at the centre of all decision-making, with the drive and passion to continually improve outcomes and make a positive difference, creating a brighter future for children, young people, and their families.

For more information or an informal discussion about the role, please contact Donna Gidman on email donnagidman@wirral.gov.uk. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check, including a check of the relevant Barred List(s).

Working at Wirral:

You’ll also want to know what it’s like to work here so, as a start: Our values are more than just pieces of paper on our walls! We’ve all played a role in developing these, so they reflect the immense pride we have in what we do, what matters to us, what inspires us and inform how we think, approach things and behave. We believe in ensuring staff are well looked after, staff wellbeing is a priority for us. We’re serious about recognising and rewarding people for the great things they do. You’ll benefit from our track record of developing, growing and investing in our people. We have a range of staff benefits including staff discounts, enrolment into the local government pension scheme (an excellent defined benefit scheme), immediate life cover and ill-health protection. We have a strong flexible working approach, hybrid working, family-friendly employment initiatives and an annual leave package starting with 28 days leave plus public holidays. We have an inclusive, engaged culture, everyone has a voice, everyone is valued for their contribution and understands the role they play in delivering our strategic priorities. Each voice is heard, each contribution valued. We embrace diversity in our workforce and recognise it is critical to our success. We support an inclusive culture that champions differences and nurtures a sense of belonging. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds, who share our values and our commitment to inclusion to apply for roles with us.

If you’d like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process to make it barrier-free and as accessible as possible please contact recruitment@wirral.gov.uk. Please note that in accordance with the Council’s policy, employees who are in a formal redeployment situation will be considered in the first instance for all vacancies. It is Council policy not to re-appoint any employee who has left under the terms of the Council's Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) scheme or who have left with a voluntary severance (VS) package, unless in exceptional circumstances. Applications will be accepted until midnight on the closing date. We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. Applications can only be accepted through the Jobs page following registration. Forms received via the post will not be processed. All applicants invited to interview must evidence their right to work in the UK. Details of required documents can be found by clicking the link at the bottom of the Jobs page. The job description and other supporting documents will not be accessible once the vacancy closing date has passed so if a copy is required you should download it now. We do not accept applications or CV’s from recruitment agencies, unless otherwise stated. Therefore, any candidates submitted via a recruitment agency will not be considered for this role.

How to apply:

Please apply online by clicking the link below.